That was the obvious question after Connor McDavid made his triumphant return to the lineup on Tuesday night.

The Edmonton Oilers rookie was pure magic. He scored one goal and had two assists in 5-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

On his tally McDavid took a pass just before centre and charged headstrong up the ice and towards two defenders, poking the puck between them and evading a hit in the process. With only the goalie left to beat, he moved his stick in a blind flurry and stuffed a deke on poor Joonas Korpisalo's forehand side.

“I think the last time I went one-on-two, it didn’t end very well for me, so little bit better of a result this time,” McDavid, referencing the play that sidelined him for three months, told reporters.

If there had been any questions about whether McDavid would be tentative in his return, they were answered on Tuesday.

But, now, the big question: Is he too late to the party?

Can the Oilers — who are tied for the least amount of points in the Western Conference heading into Wednesday's slate of games — actually make the playoffs? And can McDavid, who has missed 37 of 51 Oilers games, actually make a run for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie?

The answer to both likely is no.

Edmonton, still missing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, are eight points out of a playoff spot. On Tuesday, they beat the worst team in the Eastern Conference; a team that actually has a worse record than Edmonton.

In order to make the post-season, the Oilers would have to climb past six other teams.

McDavid’s chances at the Calder are just as slim. He is tied for 16th in rookie scoring with six goals and 15 points in 14 games. Even if he continues to produce at that pace, he would finish the season with only around 50 points.

The leading scorer amongst rookies is Artemi Panarin with 47 points. Jack Eichel is second with 34 and Dylan Larkin and Max Domi are tied for third with 33. So McDavid will be lucky if he finishes in the top-five.

But does he have to lead rookies in scoring to win the Calder?

McDavid scoring 50 points won’t get him the award. But if he scores 60 points in 46 games (1.3 points per game), would that be more impressive than Panarin scoring 70 points in 82 games?

Either way, with McDavid back in the lineup, the Oilers are a lot more fun to watch and the rookie race has become much more interesting.

Here is a look at who McDavid has to beat if he wants to claim the Calder Trophy:

Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks

18 goals, 29 assists and 47 points in 54 games

The 24-year-old is a lot older than most rookies and has the obvious benefit of playing alongside NHL leading scorer Patrick Kane, but Panarin’s season should not be discounted. He jumped straight into the league from the KHL and, as a first-year player, is trusted enough to play on the top line of a team that won the Stanley Cup last season.

Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres

16 goals, 18 assists and 34 points in 50 games

At the beginning of the season, most believed the rookie race would come down to McDavid and Eichel. But then McDavid got injured and Eichel got off to a slow start. But after recording just four points in October, the Sabres centre scored eight points in November and had 11 points in each of the next two months. He has 20 points in his last 18 games.

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings

15 goals, 18 assists and 33 points in 48 games

He has been compared to Steve Yzerman and has been called the next Jonathan Toews. And for good reason. Larkin, 19, leads the Red Wings in goals with 15 (five have been game-winners) and is second in the league with a plus-24 rating. He added to his resume at last weekend’s All-Star Game when he broke Mike Gartner’s 20-year-old record in the fastest skater competition.

Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes

13 goals, 20 assists and 33 points in 50 games

Domi and teammate Anthony Duclair (14 goals and 26 points) dominated the rookie conversation in October after combining for 18 points in their first 11 games. Since then, they have hit a wall. Aside from the hat trick he scored against Edmonton in mid-January, Domi has no goals and seven assists in his last 23 games. Maybe the all-star break was the rest Domi needed.

Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers

8 goals, 15 assists and 23 points in 30 games

Last year, defenceman Aaron Ekblad won the Calder Trophy with 12 goals and 39 points. Gostisbehere is on pace for 17 goals and 49 points. The 22-year-old is on a five-game point streak, having picked up seven points in that span. Not bad for a rookie who is sixth amongst Flyers defencemen in ice time. In most other years, that would be enough for the Calder.

Connor McDavid may be too late to Calder Trophy party

That was the obvious question after Connor McDavid made his triumphant return to the lineup on Tuesday night.

The Edmonton Oilers rookie was pure magic. He scored one goal and had two assists in 5-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

On his tally McDavid took a pass just before centre and charged headstrong up the ice and towards two defenders, poking the puck between them and evading a hit in the process. With only the goalie left to beat, he moved his stick in a blind flurry and stuffed a deke on poor Joonas Korpisalo's forehand side.

“I think the last time I went one-on-two, it didn’t end very well for me, so little bit better of a result this time,” McDavid, referencing the play that sidelined him for three months, told reporters.

If there had been any questions about whether McDavid would be tentative in his return, they were answered on Tuesday.